Today we’d like to introduce you to Ramona Ross-Bacon.
Hi Ramona, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
A Journey Rooted in Service and Sustained by Mission
My journey to where I am today began in 2018 while I was working at the Cedar Hill Recreation Center. During that time, my supervisors, BJ Stevenson and Melissa Valadez-Cummings, provided me with the opportunity to host monthly Veterans Claims Clinics at the facility. Alongside several comrades who were also trained Chapter Service Officers (CSOs), we utilized one of the center’s meeting rooms to assist veterans with navigating VA claims and benefits. What began as a modest, community-based effort quickly revealed a significant unmet need among local veterans.
During one of these clinics, then–Mayor Pro Tem Stephen Mason observed our work and expressed interest in learning more about the mission of Disabled American Veterans (DAV). Recognizing the absence of a service-driven veterans’ organization in Cedar Hill, he encouraged us to formalize our efforts. That moment became a turning point and laid the foundation for what would soon become DAV Chapter 240.
Founding Disabled American Veterans Chapter 240
In early 2019, I assembled a small but committed group of comrades—Debra Carroll, Betty Beason, Ray Johnson, Michelle Ebanks, and Phil Simmons—to pursue the establishment of a local DAV chapter. Together, we completed and submitted the charter application, which was officially approved on January 28, 2021, designating us as Disabled American Veterans Chapter 240, Cedar Hill, Texas.
The chapter was formally installed on April 24, 2021, by Past National Commander Dennis Nixon, with Ray Johnson appointed as our founding Commander. Under Commander Johnson’s leadership, Chapter 240 experienced rapid growth, operational excellence, and a strong culture of service.
Leadership, Recognition, and Statewide Impact
Chapter 240’s success is the result of disciplined leadership and tireless volunteerism. Through the exceptional efforts of our Senior Vice Commander and Membership Chair, Debra Carroll, the chapter has earned the prestigious Frank Webb Membership Award for four consecutive years—2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025.
In recognition of service and leadership:
I earned the Blue Capper Recruitment Award for 2021–2022.
Lead Chapter Service Officer Betty Beason earned the same award for 2022–2023.
I was elected to the DAV Department of Texas State Line for 2024 and 2025 and currently serve as 1st Junior Vice Commander, Department of Texas.
Betty Beason has served on the DAV Department of Texas Service Commission from 2020–2022 and 2022–2025 and has been the Lead Chapter Service Officer for Chapter 240 since January 2021.
Membership Growth and Community Engagement
Today, DAV Chapter 240 regularly hosts between 120 and 150 members at each monthly meeting. These meetings provide veterans with education, access, and direct support on critical topics, including funeral and pre-need planning, Veterans National Cemetery benefits, Veterans Treatment Courts across North Texas, Aid and Attendance, Habitat for Humanity veterans’ assistance, financial literacy, estate planning, and other essential resources.
From just 28 charter members in April 2021, Chapter 240 has grown to 438 members by 2025—an average growth rate exceeding 100 new members per year.
Measurable Service Impact
Under Commander Ray C. Johnson’s leadership, Chapter 240 has delivered substantial, measurable outcomes:
Volunteer Service and Advocacy
16,260.25 volunteer hours (January–December 2024)
21,397.5 volunteer hours (January–September 2025), reflecting a year-over-year increase of 5,137.25 hours
1,600 Compensation and Pension claims filed, including survivor benefits
12 military discharge upgrades completed
378 veterans referred to external agencies for specialized services
Three successful crisis interventions involving veterans with untreated PTSD, resulting in timely connection to care
Compassion in Action
Chapter members collectively assisted a veteran in securing the release and burial of his wife during a single meeting
Successfully hosted the 4th Annual Veterans Resource Fair and Claims Clinic in October 2024, serving 212 attendees and filing 92 compensation claims, with Jason Cave, Director of the North Texas VA Health Care System, as keynote speaker
Currently planning the 5th Annual Veterans Resource Fair and Claims Clinic scheduled for October 25, 2025
Youth, Education, and Future-Focused Service
Chapter 240 extends its mission beyond veterans through youth and education initiatives:
Implementation of the DAV Kids Youth Program through our sister organization, the DAV Auxiliary, focusing on social-emotional learning, conflict resolution, financial literacy, and STEM education
Adoption of Collegiate Academy and Collegiate High School, including holiday gift card distributions
Sponsorship of the Collegiate High School Prom for two consecutive years, with continued commitment through 2026
Provision of Chromebooks, school uniforms, and transportation assistance for veterans’ families
Training, Capacity Building, and Legacy
In addition to direct service, Chapter 240 is committed to building long-term capacity within DAV:
Hosted the Annual DAV Department of Texas Service Officer Training, attended by 104 members statewide
Certified 22 new DAV Service Officers during this training
Where We Are Today
What began as a single room in a recreation center has grown into one of the most active and impactful DAV chapters in Texas. Through disciplined leadership, unwavering compassion, and a steadfast commitment to service, DAV Chapter 240 continues to fulfill the organization’s mission:
“Fulfilling our promises to the men and women who served.”
If you would like, I can further condense this for a magazine feature, expand it for a grant narrative, or adapt it for a keynote introduction or organizational history document.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has not been a smooth road. We began this work by launching a new chapter without initial funding, which required us to adapt quickly, adjust our expectations, and remain mission-focused in the face of significant constraints. As a service organization dedicated to assisting veterans, their dependents, widows, widowers, and orphans, our ability to operate has relied heavily on the generosity of community partners, donors, and volunteers. While this support has been invaluable, the absence of stable funding has been a persistent challenge.
A second major obstacle has been the lack of a permanent physical location. Without a fixed facility, we have had to be highly creative and flexible in how and where services are delivered. As a largely mobile operation, we meet veterans where they are—community centers, temporary spaces, and partner locations—ensuring continuity of care despite logistical limitations.
Finally, while we are fortunate to have dedicated volunteers, many of them are elderly and disabled veterans themselves. Their desire to serve remains strong, but their own physical and health-related challenges limit the capacity in which they can assist. This has required us to be intentional about role placement, accommodations, and pacing, while continuing to honor their service and commitment.
Despite these challenges, we have remained resilient and resourceful. Through adaptability, collaboration, and an unwavering commitment to our mission, we continue to get the job done and serve those who have earned our support.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a retired United States Navy Gulf War veteran with 18 years of honorable service. I currently serve as a volunteer with Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Cedar Hill Chapter 240, where I hold multiple leadership roles, including 1st Junior Vice Commander of the DAV Department of Texas and 1st Junior Vice Commander of Cedar Hill DAV Chapter #240. In addition, I serve as Vice President of the Cedar Hill Independent School District Board of Trustees and am a doctoral student in the Doctor of Liberal Studies (DLS) program at Southern Methodist University.
Although I am a disabled veteran, I refuse to allow my disabilities to define or sideline me. They are real, often painful, and challenging; however, I remain deeply grateful to God for the ability to feel, because it is a reminder that I am alive, purposeful, and still called to serve. My disabilities may slow me at times, but they do not stop the mission.
My professional focus is program development and execution. I specialize in filing VA disability and compensation/pension claims, as well as assisting veterans with military character of discharge upgrades. I am widely known for being results-oriented—finding solutions, leveraging resources, and ensuring that veterans in our community and beyond receive the support and advocacy they have earned.
What sets me apart is my unwavering mission-first mindset. I do not dwell on limitations or engage in self-pity, because doing so does nothing to advance outcomes for veterans. I have learned to compartmentalize challenges, maintain perspective, and prioritize effectively so that personal obstacles never supersede organizational goals or the needs of those we serve.
I am immensely proud of the work performed daily by DAV Chapter 240. Our chapter serves veterans tirelessly and without compensation, driven solely by service, integrity, and commitment to those who have worn the uniform.
Above all, I am especially proud of our Commander, Ray Johnson, an exceptional leader and Vietnam combat veteran. Commander Johnson leads with confidence, passion, and trust in his line officers. He empowers us with autonomy, encourages leadership at every level, and actively supports women in leadership roles within the chapter. His leadership creates an environment where individuals are free to operate in their strengths and collectively advance the mission.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
I do not subscribe to the concept of luck—whether good or bad—in my life or in my work. I operate from the belief that what God has for me is for me. Relying on luck, in my view, is akin to gambling, and my time, purpose, and life’s work are far too valuable to leave to chance.
Instead, I believe in discipline, preparation, and hard work, followed by accountability for the outcomes produced. Results matter. Whatever the outcome may be, I accept it as part of a larger purpose and an opportunity for growth, alignment, or refinement.
That said, acceptance does not equate to complacency. If the outcome is not what I believe is warranted, I revisit the process. I reassess, recalibrate, and do the work again. I believe that sometimes God is not denying the outcome, but teaching a lesson—requiring me to strengthen my approach, deepen my understanding, or refine my execution before moving forward.
In both life and business, my progress has been shaped not by luck, but by perseverance, faith, and a willingness to learn, adapt, and reengage until the mission is fulfilled.
Pricing:
- All of our services are free of charge.
Contact Info:
- Website: chdav240.org
- Instagram: @chdav240
- Facebook: chdav240
- Youtube: https://YouTube.com/@cedarhilldav240
